The way a home is decorated tells the story of the family who lives there.
Through furniture, art, and other decor, we are able to share a piece of our heart with those we invite into our homes.
Choosing art for our home should bring us joy, but all too often this creative opportunity is stifled by stressful things like our budgets, expectations, and feeling we simply can’t keep up with the Pinterest-perfect homes we see online.
The thing is, creating a home for your family isn’t about making it perfect. For my own home, I’ve found peace in following what feels natural for us, and for letting God use me and my home as a source of inspiration for my family and as a witness for all who enter.
This can be done through the decisions we make when it comes to decorating, specifically in the pieces we bring into our home.
The thing is, creating a home for your family isn’t about making it perfect.
Here are some things that have helped us choose pieces that are beautiful, meaningful, and practical for our home:
01. Prioritize meaning
When decorating a home, it can be easy to focus mainly on what you find beautiful, but I challenge you to look beyond that– because finding items that look nice, but do not hold meaning, may leave you feeling detached from these items and from your home.
You want your home to be a reflection of your family, which is why you want to look for items that are both meaningful and beautiful to you. If an item has a deeper meaning to you, it will make you feel more at home and it will also communicate who you are and what you value to your guests.
These items could be religious art, family heirlooms, or handmade decor. Some examples in my home include a crucifix my husband and I bought in Italy, a great grandmother’s antique sewing machine, framed maps of places we love, and wedding photos of our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents.
These pieces do bring beauty into our home, but they also bring us joy and help tell our story to anyone we welcome into our home.
02. Don’t be afraid to mix & match
This may be my favorite rule to follow. It can be easy to feel stuck in a particular style or color scheme when decorating, and sometimes we need to step out of our own style and expectations in order to get a little creative.
An easy way to mix things up is by using pieces with different textures. One way to do this is by finding pillows within a similar color scheme, but with different sizes and patterns.
I also enjoy mixing different styles from various eras and places around the world. For example, we have a modern farmhouse table and an antique sewing machine both in our great room, but since they are similar shades of wood they actually compliment each other quite nicely!
Another really easy way to mix things up is by adding small pops of color to a neutral space. I tend to gravitate towards neutrals, but I find myself using blue quite often for accent pieces to bring my favorite color into a room. You can also add pops of color through greenery and fresh flowers which makes a space feel more lively and creative!
Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone a little bit and try mixing things up a little at a time.
03. Look in creative places for new decor
This rule is fun and budget-friendly for finding art and decor to display in your home. Looking in unconventional places like thrift stores, eBay (a personal favorite), and through friends and family can make pieces more affordable and meaningful as well.
When we bought our home, we received several pieces from my grandmother who was moving at the time. Her beautiful vintage wardrobe is one of my favorite pieces in our home now, and I’m so excited to put it in our nursery!
Even if an item isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, you can breathe new life into it with simple fixes like a coat of paint or new hardware. Don’t be afraid of a little DIY!
My husband and I aren’t super handy, but with many projects we’ve asked for help, watched YouTube videos, and learned how to do a lot of things ourselves along the way. It’s been a fun challenge for us! We recently purchased an old church pew on Facebook for $20, and with a fresh coat of paint and some distressing, it’s now a completely different piece that works beautifully in our home.
I’ve bought items everywhere from Craigslist to Pottery Barn and I love how they all seem to come together nicely in our home.
One of my favorite pieces is of another antique sewing machine we have. It’s a long story, but my dad actually found it in an abandoned home! My mom ended up refinishing it and gifted it to us shortly after we got married.
So, the moral of the story is, don’t be afraid to look in unconventional places for items—because you may find hidden treasure!
Making your house into a home should be an enjoyable experience, not a stressful one. I encourage you to put aside the expectations and rules in order to free yourself to really be able to focus on what works for you, your family, and your home!
By prioritizing meaning, mixing & matching your favorite styles, colors, and textures, and looking in creative places for beautiful pieces, you will be able to create a home decor style that is uniquely yours.
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